Annunciator.



F. KONICEK.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION FILED APR.4. 1914.

L1 97,180. I Pamwdse t.5,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

ms NoRR's PETERS 0a.. mlomurna. WASHINGTON, a c..

FJKONICEK.

ANNUNCIATOR.

APPLICATION man APR. 4. 1914.

l ,1 9.1. 3U. Patented Sept. 5, 1916. I

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 run mum; Fin-Rs 0a.. pawn-1m. wm'mnm a.

FRANK KONICEK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ANNUNCIATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

EPatented Sept. 5, 1916.

Application filed April 4., 1914. Serial No. 829,680.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK Konronx, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Annunciators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved annunciator, and the object thereof is to arrange an attachment upon the interior of a mail box which will be acted upon by the weight of the mail matter deposited therein to close an electrical circuit, and thus sound an audible signal and actuate a semaphore or similar signal located at a distance from the box.

A further object of the invention is to provide an annunciator with a semaphore or like signal that indicates to the mail recipient that there is mail matter within the box, and which signal or the like when in an indicating position breaks the electrical circuit without causing the said signal to return to its normal non-indicating position.

As a still further object, the invention aims to provide means of a novel nature whereby an opening of the mail box to remove the mail matter therefrom will close an electrical circuit, actuate suitable mechanism, and automatically return the semaphore signal to its normal non-indicating position.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as are illustrated in their preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, described in the following specification and then more particularly pointed out in the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of this application.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the annunciator, the electrical circuit being diagrammatically shown, and the mail box partly broken away and in section; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of' the annunciator; Fig. 3 is a similar view, the annunciator frame or casing being shown in section; and Fig. 4 is an end view of the annunciator, its frame or casing being partly broken away.

Before proceeding with the description of the drawings, I desire to call particular attention to the fact that while I have evolved my invention with reference toits applicatlon as an annunciator to indicate to the mail recipient that there is mail matter within the letter box, the same may be, if desired, situated conveniently to indicate to the postman or mail collector that there is mail matter within the letter box to be collected.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a letter box into which the mail matter to be collected is deposited. Said box 1 is provided with a door 2 hinged as at 3, said box having attached thereto, interiorly thereof, and in any suitable manner, a resilient contact 1. A second resilient contact member 5 is supported by the said box 1, the latter contact being insulated as at 6 and positioned to normally extend parallel with the contact 4, above noted. Both con tacts 1 and 5 are set at an angle to form, with an angularly positioned strip 7, guides 01 the mail matter deposited within the The annunciator, designated as an entirety by the numeral 8 is preferably arranged at a distance from the mail box 1, said annunciator comprising a suitable frame 9 between the respective sides of which the operating mechanism is arranged. An electromagnet 10 is disposed at one end of the frame 9 to attract, when energized, apivoted armature 11 positioned adjacent thereto. A shaft 12 extends transversely of the frame and is journaled within the respective sides thereof, said shaft having mounted thereupon a semaphore or like signal 13, which signal, as is apparent upon application to Fig. 1 of the drawings, is connected to the armature 11 through the medium of a suitable link 14:- A one-notched ratchet 15 is keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to the said shaft 12, preferably adjacent one of the frame sides, said ratchet operating, upon movement of the semaphore 13, directly beneath a trigger 16 fulcrumed as at 17 to one of the casing sides. Upon a turning of the ratchet 15 until the notch thereof passes beyond a notch 18 in the end of the trigger, the latter being fulcrumed ofl center, will, by its own weight, cause the shoulders formed by the said two notches to engage, and, as the semaphore 13 is, at the time of such engagement, in a vertical position, it is apparent that the same is automatically locked in such vertical or indicating position until the trigger 16 is disengaged from the ratchet in a' manner to be hereinafter fully described. Between the frame sides and at the opposite end of the frame is a second electro-magnet 19 which, when energized, is adapted to attract what might betermed a bell crank armature 20 fulcrumed as at 21. One end of said armature 20 is normally in engagement with the trigger arm 16, said armature being engageable with said arm to move the latter out of engagement with the notch of the ratchet 15 should the magnet 19 be energized or the armature 20 be actuated through operation of a push button 22. A spring 23 is arranged to embrace the stem of the button 22, said spring abutting at one end the casing sides through which the stem extends and at its opposite end an enlarge ment 24 of said stem, the latter, or the said enlargement 24:, being engageable with the armature 20 as is apparent upon reference to Fig. l. As a means whereby the semaphore 13 may be returned to its normal nonindicating position upon disengagement of the trigger arm .16 with the ratchet 15, I provide a spring 25, one end of said spring being secured to the armature 11 and the opposite end to the shaft 12, from which arrangement, it is apparent that the said armature, upon the energizing of the magnet 10, will be attracted against tension of the spring.

Again referring to the letter box 1, an insulated spring contact 26 is arranged therein, said contact being in the path of movement of a second contact 27 projecting into the interior of the box from the door 2 at a point adjacent the hinged connection indicated at 3.' Upon an opening of the said door 2, it is apparent that the contact 27 will engage contact 26, thereby closing the circuit within which magnet 19 is arranged. The circuit may be traced as follows: Contact terminal 26, conductor 34:, magnet 19, conductor 35, conductor 31, battery 28, conductor 29, box or casing 1, door 2, and contact terminal 27. Upon the deposit of mail matter within the letter box 1, the said mail matter, will, by its weight, forcecontact 5 into engagement with contact 4-, the former, being constructed to offer less resistance than the latter. Contact 5 is electrically connected by a conductor 28 with the frame 9 of the annunciator. Contact 4 is electrically connected by a suitable conductor 29 with the battery 28. The frame 9 being conductive, the current is conveyed therethrough to the trigger arm 16 which arm, being normally in engagement, as indicated in Fig. 3, with a'spring contactmember 29 Will convey the current to the electro magnet 10, this being made possible by a 7 conductor 30 connecting the member 29 with thesaid magnet. Said magnet 10 -is, by the provision of a conductor 31, electrically connected with the battery 28, which arrangement, as is obvious upon reference to Fig. 1, provides for the necessary circuit to energize said magnet 10. An auxiliary circuit indicated at 32 provides for the sounding of an audible alarm designated 33 within the said circuit, upon the contacting of the members 4t and 5.

The energizing of the magnet 10 will cause armature 11 to be attracted against tension of spring 25 and semaphore 13 to be shifted or bodily moved into a substantially vertical position, at the same time turning ratchet 15 until the notch thereof is alined with the notch 18 of the trigger arm 16. Said notches being alined, the said arm 16 will fall by gravity and automatically lock the ratchet against a return to its normal position, and at thesame time cause a break in the electric circuit, effected by the movement of the trigger arm 16 out of engagement with the contact member 29.

From the above, it is apparent that both the audible alarm and the visual signal are actuated upon the deposit of mail into the letter box 1.

Upon a collection of the mail, the door 2 of the letter box must necessarily be opened, and as the said door is swung upon its hinges 3, the contact 27 is moved into engagement with the contact 26. Said contact 27 is electrically connected to the battery 28 by the door 2 which is conductive, and the conductor 29, while the contact 26 is electrically connected to the magnet 19 by a suitable conductor 34.. To complete the circuit, a conductor 35 connects the magnet 19 with the battery 28 to in this manner provide for the energizing of the said magnet upon the engagement of the contacts 27 and 26. The magnet 19 when energized, attracts the bell crank armature 20, depresses one end of the trigger arm 16, causing the opposite end to be disengaged from the notch of the ratchet 15, at the same time moving said arm into engagement or contact with member 29. By the operation above noted, it is apparent that the sema phore 13, the ratchet 15 having been disengaged, will automatically return to its nonindicating position, the tension of the spring 25 serving as the returning means. Push button 22 is actuatable only in the event of a break in the circuit necessary to the energization of the magnet 19.

From the foregoing, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be noted that movement of the semaphore 13 is automatic, being movable into an indicating position by the deposit of mail matter into the letter box, and into a non-indicating position by an opening of the letter box door; that both the visual and audible signals are actuated simultaneously; and that if desired, a stop lug 36 may be disposed in the path of the armature 11 to limit movement thereof upon the deenergization of the magnet 10.

In reduction to practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated in the drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferred embodiment, is the most efiicient and practical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarily vary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes in details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an annunciator, a rotatable disk, a signal movable with said disk, a pivoted arm mounted to engage with said disk and preclude a return movement thereof, a means to move the disk prior to engagement of said arm therewith, a bell crank mounted to engage with the arm, a means to actuate the bell crank and through its movement actuate said arm, and a means to return the signal to its normal non-indicating position subsequent to disengagement of said arm with said disk.

2. In an annunciator, a first electro-magnetic device, a rotatable notched disk, a signal movable with said disk, means operable by said magnet to rotate said disk, a pivoted arm mounted to engage with the notch in said disk subsequent to movement thereof, a bell crank lever mounted to engage with said arm, 'a second electro-magnetic device mounted in proximity to said bell crank to serve as an actuating means therefor, and a means to return the signal and the disk to a non-indicating position subsequent to disengagement of the arm with the disk, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK KONICEK.

Witnesses:

Jos. A. HARAZIN, THEODORE J. WOSCHIZKY.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

